Getting there…

I have to tell you a story about what happened this week. Robin and I go to a Tuesday bible/group study at a place here in town called Mosaic Community Development. This is a place that has a lot of the same goofy ideas that we have. Like, helping the less fortunate and sharing Christ with them and crazy stuff like that. :) Just kidding…kind of. So we’ve been going there for a few months now. Great people. Even greater fellowship. And yet still greater deep discussions about the real and important stuff. So last month Robin volunteers me to help drive a van to the Francis House to see if any of the ladies or gentlemen would be interested in coming to join us for the evening. It’s only about a 5 minute drive from our meeting place so it certainly makes complete sense to go and see if there might be any takers. I went that first time in late August with a fellow named Tyler. We got to the shelter and tried to round up some of the guys. It was my first time at this place other than dropping off leftover bread on Sundays. This time, I saw my friend Bill outside the shelter. He had a bed for the evening and was going to get off his feet. Broke his ankle a few moths ago and in your mid 50s, it just doesn’t heal like it used to I guess. So Bill took a rain check. Now I’ve mentioned Bill numerous times. Office Bill. Bill is a guy I just like. Something about him. So I try to get him to come with us but no go. Meanwhile Tyler is inside the shelter trying to round up some folks to go but has no luck. So it’s time to head back to our group. Well little did I know, Robin has volunteered my services once a month. So I’m thinking why not? I know lots of these folks. That was the point of doing what we do. Get to know them. Right where they live. On the street corner. In the shelter. Wherever. So, last Tuesday, I’m on “van rides” again. This time it’s me and another fellow. We head out and get to the shelter and this time we both go in. Right away, I’m seeing all kinds of people that we have grown to know over the past 10 or 11 months.

Ok. This is what it’s all about. Getting to see our friends wherever they may be. I start asking guys if they want to come with us. Where? To a Bible study. Now understand, by this time of the day, we’re talking about the possibility of various states of inebriation. First guy I run into? Irish Joe. U.S. Marine from South Carolina. Dying of cancer. He needs to talk to me. Joe always needs to talk to me. Needs a prescription filled? Not sure if I can do that Joe. We’ll see. So he agrees to come with us. Regardless of his state, which is somewhat intoxicated, he agrees to come. So I head out through the bunk area to see if anyone else wants to go. I run into Dan. Dan worked at Union Pacific for over 30 years. Took a buyout back in 2002. Went to Vegas and blew it all. Now? Homeless. At least until next year when he starts getting his pension. But for now? Homeless. He agrees to come also. With a water bottle filled with something that “clearly” wasn’t water. And Scott agrees to come also. And Harry Horsecloud. Harry told me he needed to know his enemies. So he came. All of them were in. And Charise. She was hanging out in front of the shelter, knew the guys and said she’d like to go also. So we get back to Mosaic a little late. Took a little longer than anticipated. No worries. We made it back. The coolest thing about this whole thing to me besides the obvious greatness that we were getting to fellowship with some of our friends in a more intimate setting was that they participated and seemed to actually enjoy getting involved. We spoke about the Lordship of Christ in our lives and what that meant. Most of them shared in the discussion. I was in awe. We are finally getting to a point in our relationships with these guys that we have always strived for. Sharing the love of Christ with them and fellowshipping with them in ways that are simply amazing. I won’t share anything that was discussed because of the value of their confidence in us, but it was too cool for me to comprehend.

So back to Bill. Bill was going to read the Gospel of John this week from his new Bible. We got downtown today and I could not wait to hear his thoughts. And frankly, to see if he actually read it. He did. :) God is so amazing. It’s so amazing how He works in these situations. I asked him for his thoughts. Remember the first time you read that book? So Bill proceeds to tell me he liked it. With a huge Bill smile. Liked the story. Liked the miracles. The Greatest Story Ever Told, he tells me. Again with a big ol’ Bill smile. And you know what else? He’s stone cold sober. Didn’t drink yesterday. Said he wasn’t going to drink today either. I believe him. What are you going to read next Bill? With Christian, my walking biblical reference by my side, I ask for a recommendation. Galatians? One of Christian’s favorites. Galatians it is. But perhaps the best thing that may come from all this? Bill wants to go with us this Tuesday. And Dan want’s to go back. Tells me he could probably lead the thing. We’ll take it slow. But they both want to go. The fellow who leads the Bible study, well his name is Christian also. He asks me if I want to do the van rides more often? How can I not. These are my friends. I’ll bring ‘em all back if I can. Today? Smiley, our numbers guy tells me 147 or something like that. I wonder if there is room for 147 at the Mosaic?

What a great day and what an absolutely wonderful ministry that God has blessed us with. And you know what else happened for us this week? Someone donated a trailer to our friends. We get to use it weekly, to store it, maintain it, all that stuff. But it belongs to them. Just like all the other things we bring down. All belongs to them. We are simply the blessed ones who get to do it every week. What a country we live in where we can gather like that with music, food, lots of provisions, a van, a trailer and a downtown street corner full of God’s never ending love. What an amazing God we serve. What a deal. I can’t wait for Tuesday!

Peace and have a great and blessed week.

..."it matters to that one"... :)